Chapter 43: The Status of Luo Shenjun

At this moment, within the Marquis’s mansion.

Five divine power incarnations sat inside a grand hall—they were the leaders of the five great families.

“Mo Li Meng has left Luo He’s cave dwelling,” said Mo Li Xiao, seated there, his purple curved horns resembling a crown, his face somewhat aged, his gaze calm. “Luo He was just assassinated. He suspects we sent the assassin, and he refused the position of Deputy Commander of the Hu Yang Legion.”

“We sent Mo Li Meng to explain—that was already giving Luo He face,” said the Hu Yang Marquis, frowning slightly. “Offering him the position of Deputy Commander of the Hu Yang Legion is the highest rank we can grant. The positions of Marquis and Commander are appointed directly by the royal capital.”

The position we offered is third-highest in Hu Yang City. Higher? The five great families have no authority to appoint such ranks privately.

This was our greatest sincerity.

“We gave him a chance to ease tensions—he refused,” said the white-haired figure, shaking his head gently.

“We made the first move, yet he refused,” said the blood-scaled figure, eyes icy. “Our five great families include two royal clans and three Chaotic clans. We suppressed internal dissent, stepped back first—and still he won’t accept our goodwill.”

As the leader of the branch of the royal clan ‘Wu Clan’ in Hu Yang City, Wu Qu Lou naturally carried pride. They stepped back only because Luo Feng’s strength was formidable.

All five family leaders understood this clearly: no matter how great one’s background, one must respect an opponent’s strength.

“We stepped back, yet this Luo He refuses to yield,” said the leader of the Mei Wu Clan, whose body sprouted branches and radiated potent life energy. He spoke calmly. “We can see the bigger picture, but our many Eternal True Gods within the five families cannot swallow this insult.”

Everyone present understood this point.

As leaders of the family branches in Hu Yang City, they were all quite accomplished. But the vast majority of their clan members were ordinary. Centuries of indulgence had made those clan members accustomed to superiority—and far less able to tolerate Luo Shenjun’s provocation.

Even the five family leaders had to consider their clan’s sentiments.

“We gave him an opportunity—he rejected it. Then let’s pay the price and eliminate him,” said the blood-scaled figure coolly. “Even if we can’t kill him, we must force him to hide like Xue Yun, never daring to show his face again.”

The leader of the Shi Nation faction, ‘Xue Yun,’ had been in hiding. If he revealed himself, he would be immediately attacked by the five great families.

Within Hu Yang City, the five great families held geographical advantage—Xue Yun could only hide.

“Wu Brother, I’ve always said—hire an outsider to destroy him,” said the Mei Wu Clan leader, smiling. “The Yu Nation is vast, with countless strong experts. There are those stronger than Xue Yun, stronger than Luo Shenjun.”

“I oppose this,” said Mo Li Xiao coldly.

“Mo Li, can you really tolerate this?” sneered the blood-scaled figure. “You can tolerate it—I, the Wu Clan, cannot.”

The Wu Clan was a Divine King family—their arrogance was not ordinary.

“Xue Yun is the leader of the Shi Nation faction—our mortal enemy. But Luo Shenjun is merely a solitary Eternal True God. There’s no need to drive him into our opposition,” said Mo Li Xiao calmly. “Even if you hire an outsider, you know well—defeating him is easy, killing him is hard! If Luo Shenjun survives the assassination, he’ll hate us even more. Then we’ll have a constant, hidden enemy… that’s no good.”

“We don’t care about the Shi Nation—why fear one Luo He?” snorted the blood-scaled figure. “Qu Meng, what do you think?”

“We stepped back—he ignored us. For the internal stability of the five great families, I believe we should act,” said the Hu Yang Marquis.

Mo Li Xiao shook his head slightly.

The white-haired figure also said: “I think we should consider further.”

“If the two of us decide, then the matter is settled,” said the blood-scaled figure.

“The Marquis and Wu Brother agree—I agree too,” said the Mei Wu Clan leader, smiling. “There’s no need to argue further.”

The Hu Yang Marquis belonged to the royal clan ‘Qu Meng Clan.’

The blood-scaled figure, Wu Qu Lou, was the leader of the royal clan ‘Wu Clan.’ The two royal clans’ branches in Hu Yang City held a status subtly above the three Chaotic clans—and could not tolerate provocation.

“Then I’ll begin preparations,” said the Mei Wu Clan leader. He also purchased all available intelligence on Luo Shenjun from the Yan Feng Hall—since they were going to act, they must thoroughly understand their opponent’s background.

Intelligence changes over time. They needed the latest version.

“When trouble comes, they’ll just hide behind others,” Mo Li Xiao said helplessly. With the two royal clans deciding and the Mei Wu Clan supporting, he and the Jiang Clan could not stop it.

“Something’s strange!” said the Mei Wu Clan leader, puzzled.

The other four leaders turned to him.

“I tried to buy Luo Shenjun’s latest intelligence from the Yan Feng Hall—it cost 5,000 Cosmic Sands,” said the Mei Wu Clan leader solemnly, looking at his four companions. “Just one piece of intelligence—for that price?”

“When he attacked Qian Yu Chong and Mei Wu Qi, I bought his intelligence—it only cost 100 Cosmic Sands,” said the white-haired figure in surprise. “It hasn’t even been a night—how did his intelligence price surge so much?”

“All my intelligence costs only 500 Cosmic Sands,” said Mo Li Xiao, disbelieving. “Even Xue Yun’s intelligence is 500 Cosmic Sands. But Luo Shenjun… 5,000?”

They knew well: the Yan Feng Hall’s pricing system was structured, set by the Yan Feng Ancient Nation—never arbitrary.

“Buy it and see what happens,” ordered the Hu Yang Marquis.

Five thousand Cosmic Sands—they didn’t care.

What concerned them was… that a single piece of intelligence was priced so high, making even the five great family leaders uneasy.

“Alright,” said the Mei Wu Clan leader, immediately purchasing the intelligence.

The Mei Wu Clan leader stared, speechless: “The Yan Feng Hall’s intelligence states: a powerful Eternal True God named ‘Ying Cang’ died inside Luo Shenjun’s cave dwelling tonight.”

The Yan Feng Hall would not sell information about its clients’ transactions.

But through karmic ties, confirming Ying Cang’s death was part of the Yan Feng Hall’s own methods. Any client holding a Karmic Message Token, upon death, would be instantly detected and located by the Hall.

Even without a Karmic Message Token, if there was any karmic connection, the Yan Feng Hall could determine whether the connection existed. Existence meant alive. Disappearance meant death.

“Ying Cang died inside Luo Shenjun’s cave dwelling?” Everyone present turned pale.

“Ying Cang’s strength is unquestionable—he possessed more than one mechanical artifact, had personally cultivated several Chaotic Realm techniques, and his escape ability was even stronger,” said Mo Li Xiao. “In the Shi Nation, he killed a child of the Chaotic Sovereign, enraging the Sovereign, who sent elite squads to hunt him. He was attacked multiple times—yet survived each time, eventually escaping into our Yu Nation’s territory.”

After all, the Yu Nation and Shi Nation were in conflict—the Chaotic Sovereign’s elite squads dared not openly pursue him deep within Yu Nation lands.

The Chaotic Sovereign had over three hundred children—he viewed them as tools for trial, selection, and elimination. Losing one child meant the pursuit force was not overwhelming—this was one reason Ying Cang escaped.

If he had killed a child of a Chaotic Sovereign with only a few offspring, the Sovereign would have personally hunted him—or even invited allies. Then there would be no escape.

Even so, Ying Cang’s survival made his name ring loud.

“He survived the Chaotic Sovereign’s elite squads—and yet died inside Luo Shenjun’s cave dwelling?” All five family leaders felt a chill.

…

Luo Feng sat leisurely in a pavilion atop the mountain peak, sipping wine. Life was not only about cultivation.

!.

After the battle, Luo Feng simply wanted to relax and reflect on himself.

“Hmm?” Luo Feng frowned toward the cave entrance. “Mo Li Meng just left—why is he back?”

It was still Mo Li Meng’s airship.

Whoosh whoosh whoosh.

Three figures descended: Mo Li Meng was accompanied by an older man with a similar face but thinner build, and a three-eyed man with a purple-gold scaled tail.

“How did Mo Li Xiao and the Marquis come here?” Luo Feng was surprised.

The Legion Commander and the Marquis were the two highest-ranking officials in Hu Yang City.

“Qing Yan, open the door,” Luo Feng called out.

“Yes,” said Mo Yu Qing Yan, immediately going to open the main gate. Seeing the three figures outside, he was startled: “Mo Li Xiao Commander and the Hu Yang Marquis?”

As the only gatekeeper currently in the cave dwelling, Mo Yu Qing Yan had received intelligence from his master and knew all the Eternal True Gods of Hu Yang City. He could at least identify visitors.

“My master invites you in,” said Mo Yu Qing Yan, forcing down his nervousness—he, a mere True God, had never before met a Commander and a Marquis.

“He didn’t come to greet us himself—just sent a servant to open the door. Clearly, he’s still resentful,” whispered the Hu Yang Marquis to his companions.

“I have his strength—I’d be even more resentful!” whispered Mo Li Xiao.

The Marquis and Commander flew toward the pavilion atop the high mountain, while Mo Li Meng followed behind.

Inside the pavilion.

Luo Feng sat drinking wine, several wine flasks beside him—he had clearly consumed quite a bit.

“The Marquis and Commander visiting together—what an honor,” Luo Feng said with a faint, mocking smile. “Please sit.”

Throughout, Luo Feng never rose from his seat.

Thinking of how they had allowed Mei Wu Qi to massacre hundreds of millions of his people, Luo Feng had no intention of standing.

“Luo Shenjun,” said the Hu Yang Marquis, sighing. “The Mei Wu Qi incident—indeed, it was our fault. As Marquis, I cannot fully restrain the Eternal True Gods within my own clan. Your actions this time were good—they’ve finally learned to fear.”

“The five great families owe Luo Shenjun thanks,” said Mo Li Xiao. “We’ll publicly praise your killing of Mei Wu Qi within the five families. If such incidents occur again, feel free to deal with them as you see fit—we’ll support you. This will better deter our Eternal True Gods.”

Luo Feng was astonished.

Had the five great families bowed?

“This is our apology,” said the Hu Yang Marquis, stepping forward to offer a jade vial. “Some cultivation aids—hoping to resolve the enmity between you and our five families.”

Luo Feng scanned it with divine power—slightly startled.

Inside the vial was a lake-like pale white liquid: ‘Ye Beast Blood,’ famed throughout the Yu Nation. Consuming it felt like merging with Chaos—excellent for comprehending Chaotic Laws.

Just this one vial, Luo Feng judged, was worth about a million Cosmic Sands.

“Luo Shenjun, we speak truly. If any Eternal True God of the five great families in Hu Yang City repeats such acts, you may punish them according to Yu Nation law—we will fully support you,” said Mo Li Xiao.

“You’re confusing me,” said Luo Feng. “Earlier, several of you told me the five great families wouldn’t let this go.”

Mo Li Meng stood awkwardly beside him.

He had said—he knew the five great families well—they wouldn’t let this go.

“The world ultimately respects strength,” said Mo Li Xiao. “Your complete dossier now costs 5,000 Cosmic Sands at the Yan Feng Hall. Naturally, our five families must respect your strength.”

At the moment they learned his strength.

The five great family leaders understood one thing.

In Hu Yang City, the Marquis’s mansion and the Shi Nation faction represented two poles, locked in fierce conflict. In the past, there had been a third, transcendent force neither dared to disturb—the Yan Feng Hall!

Now, in Hu Yang City, beyond those two poles, besides the Yan Feng Hall, there was one more: Luo Shenjun!

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Thank you to the new Patron: Muran Hui Shou Na Ren Zai Deng Huo Lan Shan Chu, Pai Huai Lu Ren 02

(End of Chapter)